Can you tax a car without insurance?
Both car tax (technically known as vehicle excise duty or VED) and car insurance are mandatory in the UK. You can get fined (or worse) if your car isn’t both taxed and insured and you drive it on public roads.
Key takeaways
You cannot tax a car in the UK without having car insurance in place
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) checks the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to verify insurance status before processing your car tax
If your car is untaxed and/or insured, and not declared SORN, you could be fined or end up with a criminal conviction
What is car tax?
Technically, there is no such thing as car tax (or road tax). The tax drivers pay is called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). VED rates usually rise each year in line with inflation. They are announced in the budget and come into effect on 1 April.
The amount of VED you’ll pay depends on:
The year your car was first registered
Your car’s CO2 emissions
Your car’s fuel type
Whether your car’s price was more than £40,000 as there is an ‘Expensive Car Supplement’
Currently, some cars pay zero VED but all registered owners still need to register for VED and complete the paperwork (online) to legally drive their car.
The main exception to this is if your car is declared SORN – the Statutory Off Road Notification – with the DVLA.
Since 1 April 2025, zero-emission cars are no longer exempt from road tax. The amount depends on the year of registration:
Electric vehicles (EVs) registered after 1 April 2025 are liable for the lowest first year rate of vehicle tax, set at £10 until 2029. From the second tax payment onwards, the standard rate of £195 is due
EVs registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025 pay the standard rate of £195
EVs registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay £20
EVs that cost more than £40,000 also have to pay the £425 a year ‘Expensive Car Supplement’ for the first five years from the start of the second licence
You can tax your car/pay VED on GOV.UK. You can’t tax a car without having car insurance in place.
What is car insurance?
If you are driving your car on UK roads you are legally required to have at least third-party car insurance in place. This is due to the continuous insurance enforcement rules (CIE) introduced in 2011 as part of the Road Safety Act.
Comprehensive car insurance is much better than third-party cover, and not always more expensive.
If you’re the registered keeper of the car it’s your job to make sure it’s insured. This is the case even if someone else usually drives it or your car is not regularly driven.
If you’re caught without insurance you may receive a £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence. If the case goes to court you could get an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving. Police and other authorities can check if a car is insured via the DVLA.
The only exception is if you declare your car off the road with a Statutory Off-Road Notice (SORN).
Can you tax a car without insurance?
No, you cannot tax a car without insurance. You need to buy car insurance before you can buy tax.
However, you won’t need your insurance policy number to tax your car - when you buy car tax the DVLA checks the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to see if your car is insured and has an MOT.
Can I tax a car with 1 day insurance?
Yes, you can tax a car with one-day or temporary insurance. You have to tax your car before you drive on any UK road, regardless of how long you would be driving for.
A driver might buy one-day car insurance the day they buy or collect their new car, before they have the chance to shop around for an annual car insurance policy.
Is car insurance valid without tax?
Your car insurance may not be valid if not properly taxed. Some insurers include the obligation to tax your car in their terms and conditions - so check your policy small print.
If the terms state that your car needs to be taxed for the insurance to be valid, your insurer may reject any claim you make.
This would mean that you will be personally liable for all damages and injuries should you be at fault in a car accident.
If you are caught driving without tax you could get a criminal conviction. This will make it more difficult - and expensive - to get car insurance in the future.
Did you know…
Nearly half a million vehicles are driven on UK roads without vehicle tax, according to the latest Department for Transport figures.
It estimates that in 2023 there were 498,000 unlicensed vehicles in UK ‘active stock’ (all vehicles that may use UK roads at any time).
This equates to 1.2% of all vehicles. This figure rises to 1.3% for vehicles ‘in traffic’(observations from the roadside).
What is SORN?
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. A SORN informs the government that you've taken your car off the road.
For a SORN to be valid, you’ll need to keep your car somewhere other than on a public road, such as a driveway, garage, or private land. The clue is in the name - your car will need to be “off-road”.
Do I need car tax or car insurance if my car is SORN?
No, you don’t need car tax or insurance if your car is SORN. But bear in mind that without insurance, you won’t be covered if your car is stolen or destroyed by fire.
You also can’t legally drive on a public road if your car is SORN. There is one exception to this - if you drive to a pre-arranged MOT appointment and don’t stop on the way for any reason.
Can I leave a taxed but uninsured car on the road?
No, you can’t leave an uninsured car on a public road, regardless of whether it is taxed or not. Continuous Insurance Enforcement came into force in 2011. This rule means all cars must be insured unless a SORN is in place.
Can I get temporary road tax?
No, you can’t buy temporary car tax in the UK. You have to tax your vehicle for a year. This can be paid for:
Upfront in a lump sum (the cheapest option)
In two six-monthly lump sums
Monthly via direct debit
If you sell your car, you can apply to the DVLA for any remaining car tax to be refunded. This will be refunded in full calendar months only.
It is not possible to transfer car tax to the new owner if you sell your car. The new owner will need to buy their own VED.
Can I drive my car home if I’ve just bought it?
It is illegal to drive any car, regardless of the distance, on a UK road, without a valid insurance policy in place. Your new car will need to be insured to drive it home from the car dealer or a private seller.
Some dealers will arrange temporary car insurance so you can legally drive the car home - or you can buy one-day or temporary insurance yourself, before you buy an annual policy.
If you drive your new car home without insurance and cause an accident, you’ll be personally liable for all associated costs.
What happens if I don’t tax or insure my car?
If your car is untaxed and/or insured, and not declared SORN, you could be fined or end up with a criminal conviction. Tax discs haven’t been issued in the UK since 2014.
Police now use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to check if a car is taxed.
If the police or DVLA discover you haven’t taxed your car, you could be fined up to £1,000 or five times the amount of tax chargeable, whichever is greater.
If you use an untaxed vehicle on a public road with a SORN in force the penalty could be £2,500 or five times the amount of tax chargeable, whichever is greater.
It’s illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third-party insurance.
If the police catch you driving without insurance, they could:
Give you a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points
Take you to court where you could get an unlimited fine or be disqualified from driving
Seize and destroy your car
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